How does sitting impact our bodies?

I had a client ask me if they only have 5 mins off and on in their day, is it better to get up and move OR should they try to exercise in longer time frames?

The simple answer is that they should get up and move in any time increments they may have! Research is continuing to show that long periods with lack of movement can be as detrimental to our health as smoking!

Three tips to get in more movement throughout the day – even if you are going to formally exercise that day:

Take the Long Way

Walk the longest route you possible can to your destination: the office kitchen, the bathroom, use the stairs instead of the elevator, park farther away from the door

Stand Rather Than Sit

While it would be great to have a work station where you can work standing up it may not be practical but maybe ways around that would be to have walking meetings, do conference calls standing or set your timer to get up and move at the top of the hour. Some activity trackers will alert us to get moving so even if you stand up where you are and move side to side is better than not moving!

Why Make This a Priority?

Lastly- make it a priority because we are meant to move and the less we do the more prone we will be to injuries from simple activities and the more we increase our risk for chronic diseases.

Anything you do that increases the need for oxygen in your body can help you add physical activity to your day. It may not seem like taking the stairs or parking far away would make a big difference, but adding little bouts of physical activity to your day can help you burn additional calories and improve your health.